Lasting Fruit Takes Time

Scripture Reading:  John 15:1-17

Focus Verse:  John 15:4  “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”

Some things just take time.  Smart investors know that much time is needed to get a good return on your money after they have picked a good investment.  Those of you who have gardens, you know that you can’t plant seeds one day and the next day harvest the crops.  It takes time for the sun and the rain to do its work and for the crops to mature.

So often in our lives we get impatient.  We want things to happen immediately.   Some people may look for shortcuts to growing in their faith.  They want to be mature Christians the day after they receive salvation.  It doesn’t work that way.  A 5000 meter race is run by taking one step at a time over and over and over again until you reach the finish line.  If you want to be successful in your Christian life it will take a day after day commitment.  Fruit probably will not grow overnight, it will take time.  But after some weeks, months, and years you will see the spiritual fruit come.  Just as an investor checks on his investment and sees how his money has grown from where he started.

In John 15, Jesus talks about himself being the grapevine and us being the fruit.  Psalm 1 also says “They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.  Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.”

Galatians 5:22-23 refers to the fruits of the Spirit.  “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”  Be faithful and patient because this may not happen as quickly as you would like.  Lasting fruit takes time.

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Our Job Description

Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:16-20

Focus Verses:  Matthew 28:18-20 

"Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Do you remember ever starting a new job?  The first thing you want to know about your new job is the job description.  You want to know what is going to be expected of you.  So you and your new boss or employer sit down together and he or she explains to you what you will be doing.

Jesus is doing much the same thing here in our scripture reading.  Jesus has been training His disciples for the past three years, and now He is reminding them of what they are to be doing.  Jesus is getting ready to go back to heaven, and He wants to be sure the disciples know what they are to be doing while He is gone.

If you are a follower of Jesus, He has given you the same job description.  His instructions are really quite simple.  You are to share the same good news that you heard when you believed in Jesus and wanted to follow Him.  So we are to share the Gospel and when someone accepts this good news then we are to disciple them or train them in how to follow Jesus.  You would be surprised that there are many Christians that have never told one person this good news.  Why would you not want to share with someone the best thing that has ever happened to you?  If you eat at a restaurant and the food is good, you will tell someone about your experience and how good the food was.  So of course we can tell others about Jesus!

Romans 10:14 says  “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?”

1 Peter 3:15 says we are to always be ready to share the hope that we have within us.  This is not Jesus' suggestion to us, it’s Jesus' command to us.  You know what your job description is, now let’s go do our job.

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries 

Jesus Saves and Leads

Scripture reading: Acts 12:5-11 

Focus verse: Acts 12:7-9 – Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 

A few weeks back I was travelling to the USA through Atlanta. This was my first trip through Atlanta Airport which is one of the worlds’ busiest Airports. I was already getting late for my connecting flight so I had to rush before my flight departed. Unfortunately, I found myself lost in the rush and couldn’t figure where my flight gate was located. After a few minutes of distress, I suddenly saw a lady dressed in a security uniform. I rushed to her and asked where gate T4, which was my departure gate. The lady realized that I seriously and quickly needed help, she kindly responded to me and told me to follow her. She walked with me past all other gates until we got to T4 just a few minutes before the close of boarding. I found peace in my heart and felt very relieved as I walked beside her. I was very thankful to her and felt in my heart that God sent his angel to come and save me and lead me out of the awkward situation.

Peter is put in jail bound with chains and put under guard of the soldiers. He had one night to live before Herod might kill him as he did to James, the brother of John. Suddenly, that night, God sent his angel to save Peter and release him from the jail. Light shone in the Jail at the appearance of the angel and the light struck Peter on the side. The angel raised up Peter and his chains fell off. He then led Peter through the soldiers and all jail gates until Peter was safe with his life. Then Peter realizes that surely God had sent his angel to come and deliver him. 

Salvation of Jesus takes one out of the chains and bondages of sins. It makes the chains fall off regardless of how strong the enemy has gotten hold of one’s life. God’s word is a light that can shine out hearts and make us be set free. But again, not only does Jesus save us from bondage of sin that has held us hostage; He also holds our hands and walks us out of the dangers that can stand in our way. He doesn’t save you and let you walk alone but navigates life challenges with you. Jesus is a true friend, He will lead his children out of any danger and will ensure that they are safely delivered to the Father.   

Eliazar Wambo Nyakwadah

Director Bethesda Faith Ministries & Pastor Makira Baptist church